On December 1, 1970, plaintiff filed a claim for administrative settlement with the Federal Aviation Administration which was denied in writing on December 28, 1970. Plaintiff bases his claim for monetary damages on his life expectancy of 34 years and his monthly income of $104.17 received from his A.M.E. activity. He alleges that by refusing to renew his A.M.E. designation, the United States by and through its agent, F.A.A., has wrongfully and intentionally interfered with his prospective business advantage.

Defendant has moved to dismiss the complaint on the grounds that in refusing to renew the plaintiff's appointment as an A.M.E., F.A.A. was acting within the scope of its statutory authority; and secondly, that the United States is expressly exempt from law suits filed pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act for the exercise of discretionary authority by a federal employee in the execution of a statute or regulation. 28 U.S.C. § 2680(a).

The plaintiff in opposition to the motion relies on the line of cases descending from Dalehite v. United States, 346 U.S. 15, 73 S. Ct. 956, 97 L. Ed. 1427 (1953), including the lead case from this jurisdiction, Eastern Air Lines v. Union Trust Company, 99 U.S. App. D.C. 205, 239 F.2d 25 (1955), United States v. Union Trust Company, 350 U.S. 907, 76 S. Ct. 192, 100 L. Ed. 799 (1955), which propose that the "discretionary function exception" does not grant a broad immunity to the government, but shields the government from suit for "planning" or policy decisions, as opposed to those decisions made on an "operational" level. Plaintiff alleges that the decision not to renew his A.M.E. appointment was made on the "operational" level.

It has long been the principle that "discretion" protected by the statute "is the discretion of the executive or the administrator to act according to one's judgment of the best course, . . .

* * *

"It also includes determinations made by executives or administrators in establishing plans, specifications or schedules of operations." Eastern Air Lines v. Union Trust Company, 221 F.2d, at 76, citing Dalehite, supra. Therefore, the question here is whether the decision of the Regional Flight Surgeon, as affirmed by the Federal Air Surgeon and the Federal Aviation Administrator, not to renew the appointment of plaintiff as an A.M.E. falls within the area of protected discretionary activity.

Wherefore, having considered the memoranda submitted in this case, the Court enters the following Order without a hearing pursuant to Local Rule 9(f), as amended January 1, 1972.

It is this 31st day of July, 1972,

Ordered that defendant's motion to dismiss be and the same is hereby granted.

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